S.D. mayor home free, not city

Friday

Oct 18, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Bob Filner, who in August complained he was the victim of a lynch mob as he was driven from office by sexual harassment allegations, this week pleaded guilty to a felony and two misdemeanors stemming from that behavior.

Bob Filner, who in August complained he was the victim of a lynch mob as he was driven from office by sexual harassment allegations, this week pleaded guilty to a felony and two misdemeanors stemming from that behavior.

The former San Diego mayor entered the pleas under an agreement with the state attorney general. Instead of jail time, he'll get three months of home confinement and three years probation.

Filner could have faced three years in prison on the felony charge and one year for each misdemeanor. He is to be formally sentenced Dec. 9.

A former 10-term congressman, Filner pleaded guilty to felony false imprisonment and two misdemeanor battery counts against woman identified only as Jane Does. None was an employee of Filner's although among the 17 women who came forward with sexual harassment charges were a number of public employees.

The felony involved a woman restrained against her will at a fundraiser March 6, according to the plea agreement. Filner's attorney told reporters that his client put her in a headlock.

The misdemeanors involved a woman who was kissed without permission at a "Meet the Mayor" event April 6 and a woman whose buttocks were grabbed at a rally to clean up Mission Bay's Fiesta Island on May 25.

"I think he wants to redeem his original legacy, which was a wonderful one, and put this behind him," Filner's attorney said.

Of course, this won't put the matter behind for San Diego taxpayers.

The criminal charges do not involve Filner's former communications director, Irene McCormack Jackson, who in July became the first woman to go public with allegations against him.

In exchange for his resignation as mayor, the city agreed to pay Filner's legal fees in a joint defense of the McCormack Jackson lawsuit, and cover any settlement costs assessed against the mayor except for punitive damages.

He does give up one thing. As a convicted felon, Filner forfeits his right to vote.